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Bank Officers Charged with SBA Loan Fraud

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Bank Officers Charged with SBA Loan Fraud

Financial institution officers and a bank consumer had been charged inside the Chicago area Tuesday with fraud for submitting a false loan application to the SBA (SBA) for nearly $4 million.

James Graber and Kristin King, along side Ryan Cole of Garland, Texas, were charged by a federal grand jury in Rockford with wire fraud in reference to a mortgage application made to the SBA.

Authorities charged Cole with counts of making false statements to the SBA on a loan application, Graber and King have been each charged with one be count.



The case centers around SunLee Development, which owned a industrial building at 4001 North Perryville Rd., in Loves Park, Illinois. SunLee acquired three loans totaling greater than $3 million at a nearby financial institution in which Graber, 57, was employed as a vice president and King, forty four, was also employed as a VP and government guaranteed lending specialist. Cole, 45, and a member of SunLee, guaranteed the three loans and therefore was liable in the event of default.

SunLee fell behind on its loan because of tenants at 4001 North Perryville failure to pay rent. The indictment alleges that Cole helped tenants at 4001 North Perryville to apply for an SBA guaranteed loan and to purchase the building from SunLee. The tenants and Cole are known as the Perryville Investment Group.

The indictment states that in March of 2012, Cole, Graber and King submitted a $3.98 million loan application to the SBA for the Perryville Investment Group that contained false statements and hid material statistics. The Perryville Investment Group subsequently defaulted on the SBA loan.

Each count of wire fraud, making false statements and concealing material facts to the SBA comes with a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million.

If you have defaulted on an SBA loan, you may be eligible for an SBA loan offer in compromise. The SBA loan offer in compromise may allow you to settle the debt for less than the full amount. Contact Protect Law Group at 1-888-756-9969 today for a consultation with a qualified SBA workout attorney.

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$50,000 SBA 7A LOAN - RESPONSE TO SBA OFFICIAL 60-DAY NOTICE

$50,000 SBA 7A LOAN - RESPONSE TO SBA OFFICIAL 60-DAY NOTICE

Client received the SBA's Official 60-Day Notice for a loan that was obtained by her small business in 2001.  The SBA loan went into default in 2004 but after hearing nothing from the SBA lender or the SBA for 20 years, out of the blue, she received the SBA's collection due process notice which provided her with only one of four options: (1) repay the entire accelerated balance immediately; (2) negotiate a repayment arrangement; (3) challenge the legal enforceability of the debt with evidence; or (4) request an OHA hearing before a U.S. Administrative Law Judge.

Client hired the Firm to represent her with only 13 days left before the expiration deadline to respond to the SBA's Official 60-Day Notice.  The Firm attorneys immediately researched the SBA's Official loan database to obtain information regarding the 7(a) loan.  Thereafter, the Firm attorneys conducted legal research and asserted certain affirmative defenses challenging the legal enforceability of the debt.  A written response was timely filed to the 60-Day Notice with the SBA subsequently agreeing with the client's affirmative defenses and legal arguments.  As a result, the SBA rendered a decision immediately terminating collection of the debt against the client's alleged personal guarantee liability saving her $50,000.

$298,000 SBA 7A LOAN - NEGOTIATED WORKOUT AGREEMENT

$298,000 SBA 7A LOAN - NEGOTIATED WORKOUT AGREEMENT

Clients obtained an SBA 7(a) loan for their small business in the amount of $298,000. They pledged their primary residence and personal guarantees as direct collateral for the loan. The business failed, the lender was paid the 7(a) guaranty money and the debt was assigned to the SBA.  Clients received the Official 60-Day Notice giving them a couple of options to resolve the debt balance directly with the SBA before referral to Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Service. The risk of referral to Treasury would add nearly $95,000 to the SBA principal loan balance. With the default interest rate at 7.5%, the amount of money to pay toward interest was projected at $198,600. Clients hired the Firm with only 4 days left to respond to the 60-Day due process notice.  Because the clients were not eligible for an Offer in Compromise (OIC) due to the significant equity in their home and the SBA lien encumbering it, the Firm Attorneys proposed a Structured Workout to resolve the SBA debt.  After back and forth negotiations, the SBA Loan Specialist assigned to the case approved the Workout terms which prevented potential foreclosure of their home, but also saved the clients approximately $294,000 over the agreed-upon Workout term with a waiver of all contractual and statutory administrative fees, collection costs, penalties, and interest.

$150,000 SBA 7A LOAN – NEGOTIATED WORKOUT AGREEMENT

$150,000 SBA 7A LOAN – NEGOTIATED WORKOUT AGREEMENT

Client’s small business obtained an SBA 7(a) loan for $150,000.  He and his wife signed personal guarantees and pledged their home as collateral. The SBA loan went into default, the term or maturity date was accelerated and demand for payment of the entire amount claimed was made.  The SBA lender’s note gave it the right to adjust the default interest rate from 7.25% to 18% per annum. The business filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy but was dismissed after 3 years due to its inability to continue with payments under the plan. Clients wanted to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which would have been a mistake as their home had significant equity to repay the SBA loan balance in full as the Trustee would likely seize and sell the home to repay the secured and unsecured creditors. However, the SBA lender opted to pursue the SBA 7(a) Guaranty and subsequently assigned the loan and the right to enforce collection to the SBA. Clients then received the SBA Official 60-Day Notice and hired the Firm to respond to it and negotiate on their behalf. Clients disputed the SBA’s alleged balance of $148,000, as several payments made to the SBA lender during the Chapter 11 reorganization were not accounted for. To challenge the SBA’s claimed debt balance, the Firm Attorneys initiated expedited discovery to obtain government records. SBA records disclosed the true amount owed was about $97,000. Moreover, because the Clients’ home had significant equity, they were not eligible for an Offer in Compromise or an immediate Release of Lien for Consideration, despite being incorrectly advised by non-attorney consulting companies that they were. Instead, our Firm Attorneys recommended a Workout of $97,000 spread over a lengthy term and a waiver of the applicable interest rate making the monthly payment affordable. After back and forth negotiations, SBA approved the Workout proposal, thereby saving the home from imminent foreclosure and reducing the Clients' liability by nearly $81,000 in incorrect principal balance, accrued interest, and statutory collection fees.

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